August 10th: Picture Book 10 for 10

Today I am linking up with a few lovely ladies, Mandy at Enjoy and Embrace Learning, and Cathy at Reflect and Refine Leaning Building a Learning Community that I have discovered through Twitter.  Once a year when teachers are going back to school, they host a Top 10 Favorite Picture Books jog.  I love browsing through what people use in their classroom, and I had to add my favorites to the list.
Here I mine in no particular order:  (All book shots are from AMAZON.. click the book for an Amazon link)  I use these with my 6th graders.



Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox has to be one of my all time favorite books.   I use this book at the beginning of the year with memoir writing, to teach small ideas, and to show how people with all different outlooks on life can make a caring, giving community.



The Multiplying Menace:  The Revenge of Rumpelstiltskin by Pam Calvert is perfect when you are teaching multiplying fractions.  I used this book with a math lesson this year.









Salt in His Shoes:  Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Delores Jordan was used in our Biography Unit.  It is a quick, easy read for my 6th graders, but it helped us determine character traits which was the focus of our writing unit.







Castle by David Macaulay is beautiful!  My smarties pour over his illustrations in this book, and manage to learn a little social studies in the process!








Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander Ramsey is a new book I looked at this summer.  I am going to incorporate it into our Civil Rights Study.  It gives a neat over view of a time for African Americans before the CRM, and provides insight into how black americans traveled in the South.









Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg tells the story of Annie Taylor, the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel.  I use this book when I introduce my literature circles for the year.  We complete an Author Study of several Van Allsburg books.







Twilight Comes Twice by Ralph Fletcher brings beautiful pictures to this free verse poem.  I use this book to teach metaphors and personification.  It is also great for teaching echo conclusions.








Mississippi Morning by Ruth Vander Zee tells the story of a boy and his father.  Their relationship changes when the boy realizes his dad is part of the Ku Klux Klan.  I usually pair this book with a book of poems called:
Keeping The Night Watch by Hope Anita Smith
I achieved a "Book Utopia" moment with these lessons.  You can read about it {HERE}if  you would like.







The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base is a MUST HAVE if you teach sixth graders of have an eleven year old.  My teammate bought all of her nieces and nephews this book when they turned 11, and when mine get that old, I'll be repeating this tradition.  In fact, it is a purchase I am making for my son this year.  This book is great if you are starting a mystery unit.  THe illustrations are amazing!




Sir Cumference and the Viking's Map by Cindy Neuschwander is another new book that I have recently discovered.  I used to use all of Neuschwander's books when teaching about circles in math, but with the  Common Core change, teaching about area and circumference is not part of my curriculum, but the Coordinate Grid still is!







I also discovered that these ladies do a nonfiction Top 10 in February, so be on the look out!
What picture books are your favorites?  I'd love to add to my collection.  Be sure to let me know!

6 comments

  1. These look like great books!! I <3 Wilfrid Gordon...
    Jivey
    ideas by jivey
    Follow me on Facebook!

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  2. David Macaulay is AMAZING. I saw him speak one year and I'll never forget it.

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  3. I didn't know Chris Van Allsburg had a new book out!!! (or just new to me) I love his stuff...I love to read the Widow's Broom and The Stranger at Halloween time...I should do an author's study on him, I have 90% of his books!!! hmmmm thanks for the idea!
    ~Natalie
    Being the QUEEN BEE isn't Easy

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  4. Intriguing list. I placed The Eleventh Hour on hold at the library. Thanks for the suggestions!

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  5. WOW! So many great books included in this list! I love anything by Graham Base and Mem Fox so definitely recommend!

    Alison
    Teaching Maths with Meaning

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